If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)
George Jones · Anniversary Ten Years Of Hits [1972]
The bars are all closed, it's four in the morning
Must have shut 'em all down by the shape that I'm in
I lay my head on the wheel and the horn begins honking
The whole neighborhood knows that I'm home drunk again.
Chorus:
And if drinking don't kill me her memory will
I can't hold out much longer the way that I feel
With the blood from my body I could start my own still
But if drinking don't kill me her memory will.
These will old bones the move slow but so sure of their footsteps
As I trip on the floor and lightly touch down
Lord, it's been ten bottles since I tried to forget her
But the memory still lingers lying here on the ground.
Chorus:
And if drinking don't kill me her memory will
I can't hold out much longer the way that I feel
With the blood from my body I could start my own still
But if drinking don't kill me her memory will...
Must have shut 'em all down by the shape that I'm in
I lay my head on the wheel and the horn begins honking
The whole neighborhood knows that I'm home drunk again.
Chorus:
And if drinking don't kill me her memory will
I can't hold out much longer the way that I feel
With the blood from my body I could start my own still
But if drinking don't kill me her memory will.
These will old bones the move slow but so sure of their footsteps
As I trip on the floor and lightly touch down
Lord, it's been ten bottles since I tried to forget her
But the memory still lingers lying here on the ground.
Chorus:
And if drinking don't kill me her memory will
I can't hold out much longer the way that I feel
With the blood from my body I could start my own still
But if drinking don't kill me her memory will...
If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)
George Jones delivers a haunting performance of 'If Drinking Don't Kill Me (Her Memory Will)' on his 1972 compilation, 'Anniversary Ten Years Of Hits.' As a defining voice of country music, Jones transformed the honky-tonk style into a vehicle for deep emotional vulnerability. This recording exemplifies his signature ability to blend raw vocal power with lyrical storytelling, capturing the ache of lost love and the struggle to move forward. The track remains a cornerstone of his discography, showcasing the enduring appeal of his work during the early 1970s and cementing his legacy as a master of the genre.